• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here

Toys for a picky bird?

pawfectly

Walking the driveway
Joined
2/15/19
Messages
159
Hello all. I was wondering if anyone had suggestions about toys, preferabbly DIY, that you can give to a picky bird?

My IRN is a wildcaught rescue and he does not play with toys at all. I have a small basket at the bottom of his cage with some foot toys but he rarely touches them. He likes sleeping on his hanging toys LOL.

He loves shredding things up. He shreds up the bark from his natural perches (I replace them every three months) and tears through egg crates, vine balls, newspapers swings etc.

Does anyone know of any other toys I could introduce to him?
 

TikiMyn

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
12/13/16
Messages
6,723
Location
The Netherlands
Real Name
Robin
Fresh branches:) Other fresh (safe! Check the species for sure:) ) plants and flowers. Just try lots of things, like cardboard, different woods, paper, Palm, beads, get creative! It doesn’t have to look pretty. Play with the toys yourself to show him how its done and make a big exciting deal of it. Also try adding treats to the toys to peek his interest. Does he have a sleep perch/platform up high? As he sleeps on his toys:)
 

pawfectly

Walking the driveway
Joined
2/15/19
Messages
159
Fresh branches:) Other fresh (safe! Check the species for sure:) ) plants and flowers. Just try lots of things, like cardboard, different woods, paper, Palm, beads, get creative! It doesn’t have to look pretty. Play with the toys yourself to show him how its done and make a big exciting deal of it. Also try adding treats to the toys to peek his interest. Does he have a sleep perch/platform up high? As he sleeps on his toys:)
Thank you for your reply! I’ll definately try it out.

Well, my IRN is a scaredy cat. He stripped off the bark on all his previous perches so I replaced them two weeks ago.

...He hasn’t stepped on his new perches yet bcause he’s scared.

I keep his perches as high as possible but he still won’t sleep on them. I ordered a few rope perches and I want to try and see if he’ll be comfortable on them. They should be here any day now...
 

taxidermynerd

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
10/11/16
Messages
5,171
Location
Chicago Area, IL, USA
Real Name
Bee (they/he)
From my own experience with my picky boy, I would just try as much stuff as you can. You're bound to find something he'll like at some point.
 

Shezbug

ASK ME FOR PICTURES OF MY MACAW!
Super Moderator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
4/28/18
Messages
25,837
Location
Vic, Australia
Real Name
Shez
If he was wild caught and is not keen on bird toys I would focus on more natural items like the fresh branches, pine cones, gum nuts if you can get them. The sorts of toys that are more natural coloured and looking might be best for him if he’s not interested in the bright colours or shiny things.
My bird loves leaves and small sticks (as well as bird toys) so I cut some smaller branches to put on the top of his cage so he has a canopy above his head that he can pull through the bars and destroy. He loves it because I do not take any of the leaves, gum nuts or flowers so he can play with them as they change from fresh to dry. It keeps him busy for ages.
If he is scared of new things then maybe put the newer stuff where he can still see it but not too close. Add new things but leave the things he is comfortable with too, give him time to get used to seeing the new perches before he has no choice but to use them.
 

webchirp

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
8/2/10
Messages
17,760
Location
Ohio
Real Name
Chandra
See if he'd like a cork bark platform. Tweetypies in the marketplace has them. She might have some RN customers to give advice.
 

pawprintedheart

Sprinting down the street
Avenue Veteran
Joined
3/7/13
Messages
476
Location
Michigan
Real Name
Valerie
I'd second the cork bark platform! It is a favorite of my conures to shred. But I would also say shredding 'toys' might be a big hit because you said he likes to shred? Or maybe soft wood like Balsa? I have a low bowl at the bottom of the cage right now for my conures with wheatgrass clippings and dried grasses, along with things like pinecones, vine balls, small pieces of cardboard, a little shredding paradise. My male has never been into plastic foot toys but he is SUPER into his shred bowl lol
 
Top